Electric-arc lamp.



No. 801,637. PATENTED OCT. 10, 1905 I E BATAULT.

ELECTRIC ARC LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19,1902. RENEWED MAR.1,1904.

2 SHEETSSHEBT 1.

Witngss ef: M 734161113372- i g PATENTED OUT. 10, 1905.

E. BATAULT.

ELECTRIC ARC LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19.1902, RENEWED MAR. 1. 1904.

2 SHEBTSSHBET 2.

Inven (or wllllolsgs Attorneys EMILE BATAULT, OF GENEVA, SIVITZERIJAND.

ELECTRIC-ARC LAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1905.

Application filed July 19, 1902. Renewed March 1, 1904. Serial No. 196,05.

To all whom, it natty concern.-

Be it known that I, EMILE BATAULT, a citizen of the Republic of Switzerland, residing at Geneva, in the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Arc Lamps, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to improvements in electric-arc lamps, and is characterized by the use of a thermic device employed for separating the electrodes at the beginning of the operation of the lamp and wherein the feed of the carbons to preserve the arc is accomplished by a positive-feed mechanism.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved arc-lamp wherein the arc-striking mechanism is actuated by a thermic device which may be in series with the arc, and the first effect of the current passing through the lamp is to heat, and consequently expand, the conducting element ot'the arc-striking device, thereby gently but positively separating the electrodes and striking the arc.

Another object of the invention is to provide a thermic arc-striking device of novel form whereby the moving parts will be reduced and the operation of the device improved.

A further object of my invention is to provide a positive feed of the carbons toward each other without the need of an electric motor, as has heretofore been used. This improved feeding device consists of a hot-air motor connected to one or both of the electrode-holders through suitable gearing and adapted to be actuated by the currents of hot air ascending from the arc. The motor may be further controlled by means of a brake actuated by a magnet in series with the are.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the invention applied to an arclamp having two movable electrodes arranged at an angle of about ninety degrees to each other. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3, Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4, Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5, all of Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modification of the arrangement for controlling the motor.

In all of the above views corresponding parts are indicated by the same numerals of reference.

A frame 1 is provided with a top plate 2 and has secured thereto the ends of a track 3, which is, as shown, bent to an angle of about ninety degrees. The track may be round in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 3. Depending from the lower portion of the track 3 is a metal plate 4, to which is secured an insulating carbon-supporting body 5, formed with two eyes 6 6, through which the carbons 7 7 project and are supported in line with each other.

The body 5 is made of a heat-resisting insulatin g material, and its under concave surface may be coated with a bright material, which will act as an effective reflector, as will be understood.

The upper end of each electrode is carried in a thimble 8, which is held against a clamping-block 9, carried by a spring 10, the other arm 11 of said spring serving to hold the electrode-carrying thimble firmly against the said block, as will be understood. (See Fig. 3.) A bolt 12 is employed to force the two spring-arms 10 and 11 toward each other to securely clamp the electrodes in place. This bolt also secures the spring-arms 10 and 11 to an insulating-sleeve 13, which surrounds an arm 1A, depending from a carrier 15, supported by an antii'riction-pulley 16, running on each member of the track 3. A guide-rod 17 extends parallel with the track 3 to prevent movement of the carrier away from the track, as will be understood.

Mounted on each of the carriers 15 is a thermic device 18, which consists of a pair of resilient leaves 19 20, secured together at their ends and flexed away from each other at their centers to form a double bow or arc. Between the resilient leaves at one end thereof is an insulated pulley 21, and passing over this pulley is a wire 22 of electrical conducting material which forms a chord to the arc. The leaves may be formed of elastic material of any kind, but are'preferabl y made of the same metal or alloy as the wire 22. The ends of the wire or leaf 22 are secured to adjusting binding-posts 23, mounted on an insulating-block 2st, separating the ends of the leaves 19 2O opposite the pulley 21. The expansion of the wire caused by a current passing through it allows the leaves to become less flexed, owing to the elasticity of the leaves, which elevates the electrode. The interruption or reduction of the current will cause a contraction of the wire and a flexion of the leaves, which will lower the electrode. This form of arc-striking device possesses the advantage that the movement of the electrodes is greatly amplified over the variations in length of the wire, as the extent of contraction or expansion of the chord will be greatly multiplied by the are. The advantage incident to using a single wire with the bight thereof passing over a pulley is that a greater length of wire can be secured, whereby wire of larger size may be employed, and owing to the use of the pulley the two parts of wire are equalized.

The thermal device described and illustrated herein is not broadly claimed in this application, as it forms the subject-matter of an application filed by me on May 14:, 1902, Serial No. 107,236.

The leaf 19 of each of the thermal devices is rigidly secured to the carbon-carrier, and the leaf 20 has secured thereto a cord, wire, chain, or tape 25, which extends over a pulley 26 at the end of the track 3 and leads to the periphery of a drum 27, as shown. The two flexible connections extend in opposite directions around the drum, (see Fig. 2,) so that the rotation of the drum in one direction or the other will simultaneously elevate or depress both of the carbons.

In order that the cords 25 may lead properly to the drum 27, one of them preferably extends over the guidepulley 4: 1, which is mounted on the frame 1 below the plate 2, as shown. The drum 27 is mounted on a shaft 28, journaled in the frame 1, and provided with a milled head 29 at its lower end below the bearing, so that the drum may be revolved by hand to elevate the carbon-holders when new carbons are to be applied in place.

Secured to the shaft 28 is a rachet-wheel 30, and cooperating with the ratchet-wheel is a pawl 31 on an arm 32, which is secured to a shaft 33 of a train of gears 34: of any suitable arrangement, the shaft 33 being in line with the shaft 28 to enable the pawl 31 to act properly on the ratchet-wheel 30.

The high-speed shaft 35 of the gear-train 34 is provided with a hot-air motor 36, preferably in the form of a propeller-wheel, made made conveniently of sheet metal to secure lightness.

Secured to the shaft 35 is a brake-wheel 37, with which a stud 38 is adapted to cooperate. This stud is carried by a long leaf-spring 39, anchored at one end to a suitable pedestal and connected at the other end to a device arranged to flex it so as to engage the stud 38 with the brake-wheel 37 when a current of proper volume is flowing through the arc. .l may use for this purpose a thermic device such as l have described above; but for the sake of illustration 1 show the free end of the spring 39 as connected to the armature 40 of a regulating-magnet L1 in series with the arc. The armature 4:0 is carried by a leaf-spring 42, secured to a suitable pedestal on the top plate 2.

While I prefer to make use of a notched sense? brake-wheel 37 on the high-speed shaft of the gear-train, it will be understood that the notches in this wheel may be omitted, in which case the stud 38 will merely exert a braking effect on the brake-wheel instead of effecting a positive lock, as takes place when it engages one of the notches.

Normally the weight of the parts carried by the antifriction-wheels 16, including the electrodes, is sufficient to rotate the drum against the pawl 31, but insuflicient to overcome the friction of the gear-train. If therefore the geantrain be operated, the ratchetwheel 30 will follow the pawl 31. hen fresh electrodes are desired to be introduced, the milled wheel 29 is turned, moving the ratchetwheel away from the pawl 31 and elevating the carbon-holders to thereby permit fresh carbons to be inserted in position.

Assuming the electrical connections to be as diagrammatically illustrated, the current flowing through the regulating-magnet 41 to the arc-striking device 18 of one electrode, thence through the electrode to the are, through the other electrode, its arc-striking device, and onto the line, the operation will be as follows: When no current enters the lamp, the electrodes are in contact. hen the circuit is closed, the first effect of the current is to heat and expand the wires 22 of the thermal devices 18. The expansion of the wires 22 permits the leaves 19 20 to approach each other at their centers or to straighten out by reason of their elasticity, thereby raising and separating the electrodes and striking the are, hen the circuit is closed, the regulatingmagnet will be energized and its armature will be attracted, engaging the stud 38 with the brake-wheel 37 and locking the gear-train. As the electrodes become consumed, however, the flow of current through the arc will drop, suffieiently weakening the attraction of the regulating-magnet to withdraw the stud from the brake-wheel, whereupon the currents of hot air ascending from the are will rotate the air-motor, thus actuating the gear-train, moving the arm 32 and pawl 31 and permitting the drum to slowly rotate until the electrodes are brought suflieiently close together, whereupon the increase in current due to the drop in resistance at the arc will again engage the stud with the brake-wheel to lock the geartrain from further movement.

To increase the sensitiveness of the feeding apparatus, an additional magnet 43, as shown in Fig. 6, may be used, the said magnet being connected in shunt with the wire. The operation of this modified embodiment of the invention is as follows: The current that passes through the shunt-magnet depends upon the electromotive force or voltage between the electrodes, as is well known. Hence when the intensity of the are diminishes it is because the are has become too long, and the voltage in the are increasing serves to energize the shunt-magnet, attracting the armature a0 and releasing the brake It is obvious that the shunt-magnet alone could be used to release the brake; but it is to be understood that the releasing device must be exactly the contrary in form to that used in connection with the series magnet, because the energizing of the shunt-magnet releases the brake, while the energizing of the series magnetapplies it. The two magnets combined give more sensitiveness to the feeding apparatus, because their contin ued, action is for the same purpose.

It will thus be seen that in my improved arc-lamp the striking of the arc will be accomplished without spluttering or chattering and that the feed of the carbons can be regulated Within very close limits, that the necessity of employing an electric motor for the purpose is entirely obviated, and, finally, that a lamp is secured capable of effective use with either direct or alternating currents.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,- is as follows:

1. In combination with the electrodes of an arc-lamp, of a thermic arc-striking device connected thereto, the said device consisting of a resilient are or bow held under tension by a conductor of electric conducting material, the said conductor forming the chord of the arc, and means for supporting the electrodes in operative relation substantially as set forth.

2. In an arc-lamp, the combination with an electrode, of a bow or are of resilient material connected thereto and held under tension by a conductor of electric conducting material, the said conductor forming the chord of the arc, and electric connections through said conductor and electrode, and means for supporting the electrodes in operative relation substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the electrodes of an arc-lamp, of a thermic arc-striking device connected thereto, the said device consisting of a resilient arc or bow held under tension by a conductor of electric conducting material, the said conductor forming the chord of the arc, the said conductor being in a plurality of parts, and means for supporting the electrodes in operative relation substantially as set forth.

4. In an arc-lamp, the combination with a pair of rails and electrode-carriers movable thereon, of thermic arc-striking devices supported on the electrode-carriers, and means controlled by the thermic devices for striking the are, substantially as set forth.

In an arc-lamp, the combination with a pair of rails and electrode-carriers movable thereon, of thermic arc-striking devices supported on the electrode-carriers, and means controlled by the thermic devices for simultaneously separating the electrode-carriers, substantially as set forth.

6. In an arc-lamp, the combination with a pair of rails, electrode-carriers movable thereon, and a thermic arc-striking device supported on each of said electrode-carriers, of means controlled by the are for feeding the electrodecarriers toward each other, substantially as set forth.

7. In an arc-lamp, the combination with a pair of rails, electrode-carriers movable thereon, and a thermic arc-striking device supported on each of said electrode-carriers, of means in series controlled by the are for feeding the electrode-carriers toward each other, substantially as set forth.

8. In an arc-lamp, the combination with a pair of rails, electrode-carriers movable thereon, and a thermic arc-striking device supported on each of said electrode-carriers, of means both in series and in shunt controlled by the are for. feeding the electrode-carriers toward each other, substantially as set forth.

9. In an arc-lamp, the combination with a pair of inclined rails, a pair of electrode-carriers slidably mounted thereon, and thermic arc-striking devices carried by the said electrode-carriers, of a hotair motor for feeding the electrode-carriers toward each other, and means for controlling the movement of said hot-air motor, substantially as set forth.

10. In an arc-lamp, the combination with a pair of rails and electrode-carriers movable thereon, of thermic arc-striking devices supported on the electrode-carriers, a hot-air motor for feeding the electrode-carriers toward each other, means controlled by the thermic devices for striking the arc, and means in series with the are for controlling the hot-air motor, substantially as set forth.

11. In an arc-lamp, the combination with a pair of rails and electrode-carriers movable thereon, of thermic arc-striking devices supported on the electrode-carriers, a hot-air motor for feeding the electrode-carriers toward each other, means controlled by the thermic devices for striking the arc, and a magnet in series with the are for controlling the movement of the hot-air motor, substantially as set forth.

12. In an arc-lamp, the combination with a carriage and an electrode carried thereby, of a resilient plate secured to said carriage, and a second resilient plate connected at its ends to the ends of the first resilient plate, a tie secured in the connections between the said plates in such manner as to cause the centers of the plates to be flexed away from each other,.and means for permitting the flexed plates to approach each other, thereby striking the are, substantially as set forth.

13. In an arc-lamp, the combination with a carriage, an electrode carried thereby, aresilient plate secured to said carriage, and a second resilient plate, connections between the ends of the said plates, and an electrical conducting member secured to said plates in such manner as to cause the plates to be flexed away from each other at their centers, of an anchorage for said second plate, and means for expanding the electrical conducting member, thereby permitting the centers of the resilient plates to approach each other to raise the electrode and strike the are, substantially as set forth.

1%. In an arc-lamp, the combination with a carbon-carrier, of a hot-air motor operatedby currents of hot air from the are, and connections between said motor and carbon-holder, substantially as set forth.

15. In an arc-lamp, the combination with a carbon-holder, of a hot-air motor situated above the are so as to be operated by currents of hot air therefrom, and connections between said motor and carbon-holder, substantially as set forth.

16. In an arc-lamp, the combination with two carbon-holders, of a hot-air motor operated by currents of hot air from the are, and connections between said motor and both of the carbon-holders for simultaneously operating the same, substantially as set forth.

17. In an arc-lamp, the combination with a carbon-holder, of a hot-air motor operated by currents of hot air from the arc, connections between the motor and said carbon-holder, and means for checking the movement of said motor, substantially as set forth.

18. In an arc-lamp, the combination with a carbon-holder, of a hot-air motor operated by currents of hot air from the are, connections between the motor and said carbon-holder, and means for electrically checking the movement of said motor, substantially as set forth.

19. In an arc-lamp, the combination with a carbon-holder, of a hot-air motor operated by currents of hot air from the are, connections between the motor and said carbon-holder, and a device in series with the are for checking or releasing the motor, substantially as set forth.

20. In an arc-lamp, the combination with a carbon-holder, of an air-motor operated by currents of hot air from the are, connections between the motor and said holder, and means for permitting movement of the carbon-holder independently of the motor, substantiall as set forth.

21. In an arc-lamp, the combination with a carbon-holder, of a hot-air motor operated by currents of hot air from the arc, and ratchetand-pawl connections between said motor and carbon-holder for permitting movement of the carbon-holder independently of the motor, substantially as set forth.

22. In an are-lamp, the combination with two carbon-holders, of a drum, connections between said drum and said carbon-holders, and a hot-air motor operated by currents of hot air from the are for permitting rotation of said drum, substantially as set forth.

23. In an arc-lamp, the combination with two carbon-holders, of a drum, connections between said drum and said carbon-holders, a hot-air motor operated by currents of hot air from the are for permitting the rotation of said drum, and ratchet-and-pawl connections between said motor and drum, substantially as set forth.

24:. In an arc-lamp, the combination with a carbon-holder, of a hot-air motor operated by currents of hot air from the are, connections between said motor and carbon holder, at brake-wheel carried by the motor, a brake adapted to engage said brake -wheel, and

5 means for controlling the operation of said brake, substantially as set forth.

25. In an arclamp, the combination with a carbon-holder, of a hot-air motor operated by currents of hot air from the are, connections between said motor and carbon holder, a brake-wheel carried by the motor, a brake adapted to engage said brake-wheel, and an electric device in series with the are for controlling said brake, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 5th day of July, 1902.

EMILE BATAULT.

IVitnesses:

L. H. MUNIER, JOSEPH SIMON. 

